Harry's Best Birthday
by Cole224
Summary: Several years after the war, Harry's twenty second birthday turns very interesting when a man drops from the sky into his front yard. Slash. Thor/Harry.
1. Chapter 1

This takes place several years after Harry defeated Voldemort and is an AU of Thor, where he landed somewhere else rather than New Mexico. It will be slash.

I don't own Harry Potter or Thor.

"Happy Birthday!"

Harry grinned at the yell that came from the dozen or so occupants in the room and accepted the glass Ron passed him. He suppressed a grimace at the burn of firewhiskey.

"Ron…" Hermione looked mildly disapproving.

"What? It's his birthday, Hermione. We can loosen up a little bit."

"Right," Harry said, draining the rest of his drink and smiling genuinely at his friends. Somehow, Hermione had managed to keep this little surprise party between friends. He glanced around the room and stopped short when he spotted one person in particular.

"Hermione." His tone was frustrated and he caught Ron's guilty look before he turned quickly away.

"What?" Hermione was trying way too hard to look innocent and Harry glared at her.

"What is he doing here?" He asked, staring at the man across the room.

"Oh, well. I just thought…we could all use more friends, right?" She said with a shrug.

"Right," Harry grumbled when he saw that the guy was making his way over to them. "That's why you invited him."

The man's name was Aiden and he worked in the ministry. Harry had made the mistake of telling Hermione a week ago that he thought the guy was cute, which apparently meant that she just had to set them up.

"Hi, Harry," Aiden stopped in front of him, smiling.

"Hi." Harry saw Hermione dragging Ron away out of the corner of his eye.

Xxxxxxx

An hour later, Harry had decided that he was never going to tell Hermione anything ever again. While Aiden was a good looking guy, Harry had come to the conclusion a mere twenty minutes after starting a conversation with him, that he was more arrogant than Draco Malfoy.

"So, what do you think?"

"Huh?" Harry tuned back in at the question. He hadn't exactly been paying attention, zoning out while the man rambled about what he did for the ministry.

"The date? You'll be there, of course?" There was nothing but confidence in his expression and he seemed not to notice that Harry hadn't even heard him ask for a date. He was acting like it was a given, like it wasn't possible for Harry to disagree.

"You know, how about I get back to you on that," Harry said, glancing around for an out. "I think I'm going to go say hello to a few people." Harry practically ran from the man, not seeing the outraged expression that he received.

"You are not allowed to set me up ever again," Harry whispered fiercely to Hermione as soon as he found the girl.

"What? But he…"

"Not allowed," Harry stated firmly. Hermione frowned but Harry ignored it, instead opting for finding something to drink again.

The rest of the night went rather well. Harry did like most of the people there, after all. He didn't see Aiden again and was hoping the man had given up and gone home. Harry got the feeling he'd never been rejected before.

Harry was feeling pretty good by the time he was ready to go home. He hadn't drunk enough to be drunk but he'd gotten enough to have that pleasant feeling in-between being drunk and sober.

"You should still try harder," Hermione said to him when she hugged him goodbye.

"Hermione." His voice held warning and, knowing her, she wasn't scared by it but she still relented.

"Alright. I will not try to set you up again."

"Thank you." He waved to the people left in the room before heading out, towards his own home.

His home was situated pretty far out. He'd bought it just for that reason. His closest neighbor wasn't even within walking distance. When Harry got off the Knight Bus and started towards the door of his home, it was rather late.

He'd almost gotten inside, even had the front door open, intent on passing out as soon as he reached either his couch or bed when it happened. Light illuminated his house, his yard. The wind picked up a second later, and it was strong. Harry stumbled back a few steps, nearly falling down.

It was too the side of his house and Harry, bracing himself with one hand on the wood, started around. If someone asked later, he would have a hard time describing it. Maybe he'd describe it as a tornado with flashes of lightening.

It stopped as fast as it had started, leaving some sort of round design on the ground and in the center…a man? He wondered a moment if someone had slipped something into his drinks at the party and he squeezed his eyes shut for a second. But when he opened them, the man was still there and Harry went over, leaning over him.

The man's eyes were closed and Harry's gaze trailed up and down the man. _Huh. Pretty, _was the first thought that entered his mind through the shocked daze. Then the man opened his eyes and, for several seconds, he simply lay there with Harry leaning over him.

Harry was forced to take a couple of steps back when the man abruptly sat up and then got to his feet. Harry stumbled back more when he began yelling at the sky, saying several words that Harry had never heard before.

_Well, he did just fall from the sky. _Harry blinked. Maybe he was dreaming. He'd had dreams like it before. Only this guy was fully clothed, and he looked closer to punching something rather than pushing Harry against the nearest hard surface and-

"You!" The guy turned to him, cutting off the thought. "What realm is this?"

"Realm?" Harry repeated, finally coming out of the daze and wondering if he should draw his wand from the holster on his wrist. The man fired off several more words that Harry didn't know.

"Uh…are you an alien?" Harry managed to get out finally, the words sounding ridiculous even to him. But the guy had fallen from the sky.

"I am Thor."

"Thor," Harry repeated. He shook his head, some of the shock coming back. "Some birthday."


	2. Chapter 2

I've been having a ton of trouble with this story. Mainly because of how much of an ass Thor was when he first landed on Earth, and then because when someone pointed it out to him, he immediately apologized. I tried to keep him in character on that account.

"Er…I…" Harry was still trying to think of something to say when there were several pops and he and Thor were surrounded by aurors. "What's going on?" He asked.

"Said there was a commotion and some pretty powerful magic being used here," Ron answered, head tilted. He had his wand raised, pointing it at Thor, who apparently decided it was time to speak up.

"You dare threaten the mighty-" He'd started to take a step closer but red light shot from Ron's wand and the big man fell instantly with a thud.

"Ron!" Harry yelled in frustration.

"What? What's going on here, Harry?" He glanced around at his co-workers.

"Nothing. I don't know what powerful magic you were talking about. But this is…" Harry hesitated. It wasn't like he could tell them that the guy had dropped from the sky, right? "You remember that guy I was telling you about? The one I met at the grocers?" He raised an eyebrow and Ron blushed.

"Oh." Ron seemed embarrassed for a moment.

"You can all go now," Harry said pointedly, glaring at the other three men. There were three cracks as they did as he said.

"Harry…I thought you said you and the muggle…you know, broke up?"

Harry shrugged and didn't correct Ron for calling his ex 'the muggle' since the guy had ended up cheating on him. "We did. But…you know, things happen." He was thankful he hadn't told Ron about the guy cheating.

"Do you need help?" Ron gestured to the man and Harry shook his head immediately.

"No, I got it." Ron would suggest a memory charm, of course and he'd never been great at those. He and Harry had learned them when they'd both initially joined the aurors but Harry had since quit after deciding he'd had enough of chasing down dark wizards after doing it since he'd been eleven.

"See you later then, Harry."

Harry waited until Ron had gone before he turned back to the big man. "What am I supposed to do now?"

He ended up using magic, of course, to get Thor inside his house and onto his couch. There was no way he would have been able to carry the big guy. He didn't wake the guy immediately, instead settling for letting the spell were off naturally. He needed time to think.

He could have told Ron, he supposed, after the other aurors had left. He'd told Ron pretty much everything about himself in the past and gone to Ron and Hermione, on more than one occasion, since the war had ended for advice and someone to talk to.

They'd been the first to know about his decision to leave the aurors. He smiled slightly at that memory. They'd both been very supportive, Ron especially. He had settled down a lot after the war and he and Hermione had gotten married. Ron had been a great friend when they'd been kids and an even better friend as an adult.

Still, what was he supposed to say that didn't sound crazy? He thought maybe he should at least talk to Thor first. Ron still had a short fuse. Hermione would probably be the better option but, even though she was muggle-born, she had always been less likely to believe in the impossible. Which, Harry thought was completely funny sometimes. She just relied too much on her books sometimes, really.

Harry sighed and rubbed a hand across his face. No, he'd talk to the guy first. And then he'd go complain to his friends about how screwed up this all was.

Xxxxxxxxx

Harry woke up with a jerk, nearly toppling from the chair he'd fallen asleep in. For a moment, He rolled his neck and lifted his arms, but froze mid-stretch when he remembered the night before. The couch, however was empty.

Jumping to his feet, he turned and froze again. The big man was still there, currently standing in front of his fireplace and staring at the moving pictures on the mantle, pictures he hadn't bothered to hide because he hadn't taken a muggle back to his house in a couple of weeks.

"Er…you're still here," He voiced out loud. After sleeping…oh, yes, the surprise was back. Because apparently he couldn't get over the shock of a man falling from the sky into his front yard.

"Yes," Thor answered, turning to him. "You rendered me unconscious."

"That wasn't me!" Harry protested immediately, while frowning at the wording the man used. "That was…okay, it was a friend but to be fair, you are kind of intimidating. And you did look like you were going to threaten him." He paused. "Why are you still here?"

Thor looked irritated. "My father has seen fit to strip me of my power. I do not-" He cut off, then hesitated. His next words almost sounded like they were painful for him to say. "I do not know where else I can go."

"Oh." Harry's mind worked for a minute, but he could offer up no suggestions, mainly because he had no idea what the man was talking about. That was, of course, when his stomach made itself heard, rather loudly and he was reminded that he hadn't eaten anything since well before the party the night before.

He grinned sheepishly. "Hungry?"

Xxxxxxxxx

"You know," Harry started as he watched Thor eat like he hadn't in years, "it is common courtesy to at least say thank you when someone cooks a meal for you."

Harry was…irritated. To say the least. Not just with the man sitting across from him but with himself too. He was seriously starting to believe that he could go no time without something weird happening in his life.

Thor had offered up his explanations of other realms and magical hammers and irritated fathers with god-like powers. He was currently sitting with his head in his hands. His comment might have been due to his own irritation at his life, or it might have been due to the way that Thor talked, reminding Harry strongly of the most elitist purebloods.

"I have offended you." Thor finally set down his fork and there was a frown on his face.

"Oh, no. I'm used to being ordered around like a house elf," Harry grumbled and then he stopped and scowled when his comment brought up memories of his childhood.

"I do not know what a house elf is but I promise you I meant no offense." He looked honestly bewildered, and Harry sighed.

"Just…next time you want seconds, ask for it instead of demanding it."

"Alright." He leaned closer to Harry. "Thank you for this meal, Harry Potter."

Harry had to suppress a groan. "I'm going to go see if I can find you some clothes." Because the guy was still in the clothes he'd landed in and they were pretty dirty. He got up and away from the man quickly. He found a pair of jeans and a shirt that his ex had left behind because his clothes certainly wouldn't fit.

Thor immediately stripped off his shirt, right in front of Harry. "It's…er…from the ex-boyfriend pile," he explained, trying not to look at anywhere but Thor's face because…well, _damn. _Thor took the shirt.

"It will suffice."

Harry raised an eyebrow and held back the jeans at that. Thor seemed to search his expression a moment.

"I mean, thank you. You are rather forceful, are you not, Harry Potter?" There was a small smile playing on his lips as he said it and Harry wondered how a man could irritate him and force some rather unclean thoughts at the same time. And here he thought that he wasn't that shallow.

Harry held his breath a moment when Thor stepped closer to him. "Not usually."

"I think you are not being truthful in that."

Harry thought back to most of his encounters with Draco Malfoy, even into their adult years and grinned a little. "Okay, given certain circumstances…or certain people."

"And you do not like me."

"Not true. We've only just met." He pressed the jeans against Thor's chest. "Just…do me a favor and change in the bathroom, alright?"

Thor agreed and went willingly. Harry watched him go and wondered if he had enough time to firecall Hermione.


	3. Chapter 3

"Look, here." Thor drew something quickly on the piece of paper in front of them. "This would be your realm, this, mine."

"Oh. That's…." Harry blinked, "freaky. So how do you get back there?"

"I do not know if I can. Unless my father opens the Bifrost…"

"Huh." Harry tilted his head and studied Thor a moment. "Well, I've never had a proper family, really. I can't really give advice on angry fathers."

"The man you spoke of earlier? The one that rendered me unconscious? He is not family?"

"No." Harry paused. "Well, sort of. We've been friends since I was eleven."

"A brother then," Thor said with a nod. "I have a brother myself. His name is Loki."

"Loki…" Harry shook his head and then sighed. "So, you're basically stuck here until your dad cools off?"

"I suppose I am."

Harry rubbed a hand between his eyebrows, feeling a headache coming on. "Well…I guess you can stay here then. It's not as if I don't have room. Sides, I already told Ron you were my ex."

Thor gave him a closed lip smile. "Thank you, Harry Potter."

Harry huffed. "You could just call me Harry, you know."

Thor only smiled wider at that.

Xxxxxxx

"I do not understand the purpose of this exorcise."

Harry rolled his eyes, gaze focused on the screen. "That's cause there's no real purpose except for the entertainment value." He and Thor were sitting on his couch in front of his television, his game system hooked up.

Harry had gotten the thing, along with the TV when he'd moved out on his own and quit the auror position. He'd never played a video game before then as his relatives hadn't allowed it and he found that he rather liked having these small luxuries that had been denied to him as a child. The room they were in was warded to keep magic out and from interfering with the electronics.

"You do this often?"

"Not all the time," Harry said defensively. "I just…my relatives never let me do anything like this when I was kid and I thought maybe I could have a bit of fun now."

"Why would they not allow you something?"

"Cause they hated me," Harry answered idly. Thor frowned and opened his mouth to answer that but was interrupted when, on screen, Harry snuck up behind him. "Oh, look at that! Looks like you're dead, oh great and powerful Thor!" The irritated look he received only made Harry grin widely.

"What is the name of this practice?"

"Call of Duty," Harry said wryly. "So," he started teasingly, waving his controller in Thor's face. "Will you answer the call?"

Xxxxxxxx

"I rather like this game. Is that strange since I've been in a war of my own? A real one? Ron says I'm mad but I don't think so. I like it. It's not like it has real consequences, you know? It's fun and nobody real's in danger. I think Ron just has a biased view on anything muggle. He still thinks _they're _all mad too."

Harry wasn't sure why he was saying all that. Thor had told Harry about his own world, though, about his father and brother, and of the fight he'd had with his father before he'd been sent down to Earth.

The soldier on the screen that Thor had been controlling pretty erratically stopped moving and Harry looked up to see Thor staring at him.

"What?"

"You participated in a war?"

Harry shrugged a bit uncomfortably. "When I was younger. It ended four years ago." He quirked an eyebrow. "Are you going to at least try this time?" He asked, tilting his head towards the screen.

Xxxxxxxx

"I do not understand."

"What? I thought you were getting the hang of it?" In fact Thor had nearly killed him several times on screen.

"No. Your family. Why would they despise you as you said?"

Harry shrugged and then blushed a little bit. He'd spent a long time after the war trying to deal with, not only what happened during it, but all that had happened when he'd been staying with the Dursley's. He'd encountered mindsets like this before, mostly among children who had never known anything but loving parents.

"Cause I was different, mostly. Can we not talk about this? I've put a great deal of effort into not dwelling on my crappy childhood."

"So that you may indulge in your entertainment?"

"Right. Fun." Harry gave him a smile. "Hey, so what about you? What did you and your brother do for fun?"

Xxxxxxx

Harry had relaxed completely back into his couch as Thor explained some of the mischief he and his brother had gotten up to when they were young. The arrogance Harry had seen in him before had completely vanished when he spoke of his brother, replaced by fondness and love.

In fact, Harry couldn't help but to smile as Thor described several times that he had gotten into trouble as a kid. He thought he could like this Thor, the one that wasn't bragging about his standing in his world or rudely demanding things.

Xxxxxxx

"Ah! I'm dead!" Harry fell to the floor, splaying his limbs in the same awkward position his soldier on the screen had. When he looked up, Thor raised an eyebrow, although the triumphant grin hadn't left his face.

"You are very strange, Harry Potter."

"Says you." Harry stuck his tongue out at the man. He popped up into a sitting position. "I'm hungry. Come on." He grabbed Thor's arm and dragged the bigger man towards the kitchen.

Xxxxxxx

They were half way through a meal, talking about random things when someone knocked on his door. Harry got up, aware that Thor was following him and opened the door to find Hermione there.

"Hey, Harry!" She said with a smile. It didn't slip when she saw Thor standing there as well but he could see the confusion in her eyes.

"Oh, this is Hermione Granger, one of my best friends." Harry faltered when he glanced at Thor. He'd introduced him as his ex to Ron but Hermione had actually met that guy…"Er…this is Thor…"

"It is very nice to meet you, Hermione Granger," Thor said, sticking out a hand for her to shake.

"You too," Hermione returned, shooting Harry a look before shaking his hand. When Thor turned his attention from Hermione to Harry, he saw her mouth 'wow' and grinned.

"You think maybe I could get a moment?" Harry asked Thor.

"Of course." He nodded once more towards Hermione before leaving the room, heading back towards the kitchen.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked as soon as he had gone, stepping close to Harry. "Is that your new guy? Ron said that he and the aurors showed up here and you were with 'the muggle' as he called him but that is not him. Who is he? Where did he come from? I thought-"

"Hermione," Harry cut her off, a bit exasperated. "You might want to actually give me time to answer one question before you ask another, yeah?"

She huffed and crossed her arms. "Fine. Who is that?"

"That is a bit of a long story," Harry said a bit sheepishly.

She simply raised an eyebrow. "I've got time."

Harry sighed in a resigned sort of way and began telling her everything that had happened since he'd left his birthday party.


	4. Chapter 4

"So, let me get this right." Hermione had her arms crossed and she was glaring at Harry in disapproval. "You invited a stranger into your home and trusted his word on the fact that he came from another planet?"

"Hermione." Harry's tone was filled with irritation. "He literally dropped from the sky into my yard through what appeared to be a whirlwind of lightning and wind. Are you suggesting that he'd been hiding on my roof for a tornado to kick up so he could trick me into staying at my place to eat my food and play video games?"

"Well…no. But, still. You shouldn't invite strangers into your home, Harry."

He only rolled his eyes at this. "I can take care of myself. And except for a bit of rudeness, he's done nothing bad."

"And you really believe he's from another planet?"

Harry shrugged. "Hey, I'm still the guy who got hit with what was supposed to be an unstoppable killing curse twice, and been declared the 'master of death'. I'm pretty much willing to believe anything is possible. Even other realms."

"But, Harry-"

"You know, you're being incredible closed minded, Hermione. I mean, you're a witch. You can already do things that should be impossible through magic. He dropped from the sky. He's genuinely clueless when it comes to anything from this world and you should hear him speak. It's like he comes from a world that never invented contractions."

Hermione stared at him at the last sentence and Harry only grinned at her. "Come on, why don't you ask him yourself. I know you're dying to."

He was right, of course. Hermione may not have completely believed it but she was full of questions. She always was.

By the time Hermione left, it was very late, she still didn't one hundred percent believe it, and Thor looked thoroughly exasperated with her. Harry couldn't blame him. In the short time that Hermione had been there, he'd learned more about Asgard than he had in the day or so he'd spent alone with Thor.

"Sorry about that," Harry said as soon as Hermione left.

"Is she…" Thor trailed off before he could finish the sentence but Harry knew what he was asking.

"Always like that?" Harry finished for him. "Oh, yeah. She's a great friend though."

"She is concerned for you."

"Yes, well. You're not going to murder me in my sleep, are you?" Harry asked with an amused smile.

Thor looked affronted at the idea. "I would never do such a thing."

"Okay then. You can have the guest room."

Xxxxxxxx

There was music coming from the room that he had spent playing that strange game with Harry Potter in. Thor had slept very little, the last conversation he had had with his father still plaguing his mind as well as the strange interactions he had had with the young man who had taken him in.

When he stepped into the doorway of the room, he was once again sure that this small mortal was very strange. But, as he had thought the day before when he had watched Harry Potter flail on the floor in imitation of the game he had been playing, not so strange in a bad way.

Harry was lying back on the sofa. His feet, which were hanging over one arm rest, were moving with the music and his eyes were closed, a smile playing on his lips. Thor tilted his head as he studied the young man and he really listened to the music that had seem to catch him so.

_"Let me run with you tonight  
I'll take you on a moonlight ride." _

Harry was singing silently along with the music. Thor had never heard such music himself but he could see, after only listening for a minute, why this music could be soothing.

_"There's someone I used to see  
But she don't give a damn for me." _

Thor smiled when the music picked up as well as Harry's enthusiasm for it. His arms started moving along with it as well, and he began singing out loud with the music.

_"Let me get to the point  
Let's roll another joint  
Turn the radio loud  
I'm too alone  
To be proud  
And you don't know how it feels  
You don't know how it feels  
To be me." _

It was about this time, when he was stretching out the last word that Harry opened his eyes and spotted Thor. He jumped, and then blushed a bright red, sitting up.

"Hey," he said sheepishly.

"I did not mean to interrupt."

"Sorry," Harry said, starting to reach for what Thor supposed the music was coming from. "It's too loud, isn't it?"

"No." Thor put a hand on Harry's arm, keeping him from turning it off. "I can understand why you would like it the way that you do."

Harry looked surprised for a moment, then uncertain. "I got other stuff too. If you want to hear?"

"I would like that."

Xxxxxxxx

"I didn't really get into music until after the war. The Dursley's never really let me do anything that I might enjoy and I never had time to check out any sort of wizarding music with the war going on. Even before that, there was just too many things happening, I guess. I like this music. I'm not terribly fond of the depressing stuff."

Thor nodded. His smile hadn't left. "Music, of course, is much different where I come from," he commented.

"Of course," Harry said.

"My mother does love it, however."

"Your mother? What's she like?"

Thor's smile widened until it was almost blinding. "She is amazing. My father has always been the stern one. She is the opposite of that. She is very patient, very kind." He must have seen the way that Harry's smile had turned sad. "You do not remember anything of your mother?"

"Not really." But Harry's fist clenched in his lap when he thought about the encounters he'd had with dementors and the short, brief conversation in the woods after he'd picked up the Resurrection Stone.

"I must ask you something, Harry Potter."

"What?" Harry met his gaze with some trepidation. He really didn't want to discuss his parents.

"What exactly is a joint?"

For a second, Harry was stunned, and then he was laughing so hard he nearly fell off the couch.

Xxxxxxxx

"No, no. You don't have to flip them," Harry said later when they were both standing over the stove. "Just splash the grease over them. It works out better, at least for me it does." For some reason, Thor had offered to help him cook breakfast. Harry had the suspicion it was another diverting tactic.

He had been a bit surprised before, was sure that Thor had purposefully asked that question earlier to bring Harry out of the mood talk of his parents had put him in. Thor looked down at the frying eggs and actually wrinkled his nose.

"It does not look like it will be very appetizing."

Harry chuckled. "It will be when you eat it, trust me. Fried eggs are the best kind. Probably the least healthy but the best tasting."

"You like this work." It sounded like a statement and Harry gave a start in surprise.

"Yeah, I guess I do." For years, he'd associated cooking with his childhood, with being forced to do it for his relatives but once he'd finally learned to deal with his issues regarding them, he'd realized that maybe he did like it.

"You cannot do this for work?"

Harry stared at him for a moment. He had admitted to Thor during one of their conversations the day before that he wasn't sure what he wanted to do for a living. He'd thought for so long that he'd wanted to be an auror. When he'd become one and found that he didn't want that sort of job at all, he'd been a bit lost as to what to do with himself.

"I…I guess I could." He grinned widely and then caught Thor staring at him. "What?"

Thor shook his head and leaned closer to him. "You know you do have a lovely smile."

For the second time that day, Harry went red and he barely managed to keep the bacon from burning.

Xxxxxxxx

I adore Tom Petty and no matter what mood I'm in, that song never fails to make me happy. I don't know how realistic it is for Harry to be listening to it but it just makes me happy so when I was thinking about that scene, that song was the first one I thought of.


	5. Chapter 5

"You are sure about this?" Thor was looking dubiously at the broom.

"Sure I'm sure." He let go of the broom, watched it hover for a few moments before he gripped it again. "It'll be fun and it's one of the reasons why I bought land so far away from everyone else."

"This is something that you love as well," Thor said perceptively, gaze boring into Harry's. He smiled a bit when Harry nodded. "Then I would be honored to share it with you."

"Okay then." Harry tried not to blush. The way Thor had said that could have been stupid but the way he was looking at Harry combined with the words had Harry squirming a bit instead. He mounted the broom and waited for the big man to get on behind him.

He could not fight off a blush when Thor wrapped one arm around his waist and moved in close. "Are you certain this was not a ploy for this?"

"I'm certain," Harry got out before pushing off. He couldn't go higher than the trees that surrounded his property but that was fine. Even with two people, the firebolt was still incredibly fast.

Harry grinned widely as they picked up speed and Thor's other arm went around him. His love for flying hadn't abated in the least as he'd gotten older. Still, the guy behind him was proving to be quite a distraction.

Thor's body was pressed close to him; his hands were low on Harry's abdomen. The combination of flying and the incredibly good looking man pressed so close was what did it. His pants were getting a little bit uncomfortable.

When he finally stopped the broom in the air, Thor had pressed even closer and his lips were at Harry's ear. "When I regain my power, _I_ will take _you _flying," he promised in a low voice. Harry was convinced the man knew what it was doing to him.

Harry scrambled off the broom, glad his pants were the baggy ones. "I should probably start dinner…"

"Yes, alright."

"I'm just going to…take a shower first." He practically sprinted away from the big man, fleeing to the relative safety of the bathroom where he could take care of his little problem.

Xxxxxxx

Thor was waiting for him when he came back downstairs and he immediately started closer. "You fled from me. Why?"

"Uh…Oh, well I…"

Thor stepped into his personal space. "You are attracted to me," he stated, no question in his tone.

"Uh…" Harry blinked and wondered when he'd lost the ability to speak. It certainly wasn't coming back when Thor put a hand to his face and tilted his head up.

"There is no need to hide." He bent until they were almost the same height.

"Are you…" Harry trailed off when Thor leaned closer, holding his breath and waiting.

Thor's lips had barely brushed his before he pulled back. Harry stared up at him for several seconds, still unable to speak before he reached up, wrapped an arm around Thor's neck and brought him back down for a deeper kiss.

"Okay, that was…pretty awesome," he said when he finally pulled away, a little breathless.

"I will agree with that."

Harry laughed and then grabbed Thor's hand. "Come on. Food."

Xxxxxxx

_There was a girl screaming somewhere. Just screaming, no words but Harry still recognized who it was. He'd always be able to. He searched the mansion, opening each door he came across but still couldn't find her. Why couldn't he find her? _

_The hall seemed to long but he finally reached the last door. The light was too bright on the other side and he stepped out into a yard. The crumbling castle that was Hogwarts stood looming in the distance and he started closer. Bodies littered the ground. All people he recognized. _

_"Harry Potter." _

_He spun at the voice, that familiar voice. And there he was, exactly as Harry remembered. Voldemort was holding someone up and he let the person drop, Harry got a glimpse of blood matted bushy brown hair before someone grabbed his shoulder, shaking him-_

Harry jerked awake, eyes snapping open and, for several seconds, he remained still, staring up into Thor's concerned blue eyes.

"Are you alright, Harry Potter?"

"Please, just call me Harry," he said, his tone pained. He sat up when Thor leaned back and remembered that he'd fallen asleep during a movie they'd been watching.

"You seemed very distressed," Thor commented.

"Yeah, nightmares. Sorry." He stood, stretching a bit.

"There is no need to apologize. Do you have these nightmares often?" Thor seemed genuinely concerned and Harry smiled a bit.

"Sometimes, yeah. They're mostly about the war." He sighed and sat down again, this time so he was facing Thor, who was staring at him intensely. "Sometimes, they're about the last battle. They invaded my old school. A lot of people died." He paused a moment.

"Sometimes they're about the Malfoy manor. Bet Ron and Hermione have lots of nightmares about that. We got…captured. They took Hermione away and me and Ron…just locked up and waiting to die, listening to Hermione scream…" He'd looked away as he said it.

"Yet you did survive."

Harry smiled a little sadly. "Had a lot of luck, and a lot of help." He studied Thor a moment. "You ever been afraid to die?"

"No, I cannot say I have."

Harry nodded. "It was there, you know? That whole year after we decided to go out and really fight. Not just fear of dying. But fear that we'd come out on the other side and everyone else would be gone. After it was over, I didn't really know what to do with myself."

"You survived and you are exceptional."

Harry blushed again and grinned. "Thanks."

"I have always known. Since I was a child, I have known what I was supposed to do. Yet now…"

Harry nodded and tilted his head. "You'll survive," he stated. "And," he scooted closer, draped his arms around Thor's neck, "you'll come out the other side exceptional."

"You know this, do you?" Thor asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Sure. I can see it." He leaned forward and pressed his lips against Thor's.

Xxxxxxx

They were in the kitchen, talking and eating when the two wizards apparated directly into Harry's living room. Harry had a moment of surprise before he tackled Thor off his chair to avoid the curse that was immediately thrown in their direction.

He dragged Thor down behind the kitchen island, pulling his wand in the process. The first thing he tried was apparation but found he couldn't. The two wizards weren't making any noise at all but they were throwing curses and Harry only dove around long enough to throw his own, backing the two of them away just a bit.

"What-"

"Stay here," Harry cut Thor off before he could finish the question. He edged towards the end of the island but had to scramble back more when a particularly strong curse blasted its way through, destroying part of it.

Harry gritted his teeth and glared back at Thor. "Stay here," he repeated. He took a deep breath before rolling out from behind the island and ran to the side, throwing stunners. He had to bite back a cry when a cutting curse grazed his side but managed to dive for cover behind his couch again.

Two pops sounded a second later and, suddenly, he found himself surrounded. He stood slowly as the two wizards, both of whom he recognized, raised their wands. Harry swallowed and gripped his own but before he could even think to try anything, the one on his left was tackled from behind.

Harry didn't wait for the other's surprise to pass. He sent a stunner and watched as the man fell. He turned back to the left in time to see Thor stand over the unconscious form of the other man, who looked as if he at least had a broken nose. Feeling a little bit detached now, Harry mumbled the appropriate spell to tie up both men.

"How did this happen?" He asked out loud finally, pressing a hand against his side where he was bleeding. "How did they apparate and prevent me from doing it? And why would they do it? This doesn't…" Harry stared down at Draco Malfoy, completely bewildered.

"You are injured," Thor said, stepping closer to him.

"How did this happen?" Harry repeated, leaning back against the couch and staring up at Thor.

"I do not know but you are-"

"It's Malfoy!" Harry interrupted. "He hates me, always has but he's not stupid enough to do this. It's been years since the war and he's even been civil with me since then. Why would he…?"

"Harry." Thor tilted his chin up. "You must attend to your injury."

Harry grimaced and looked down. _Huh. _He was bleeding pretty badly. Tiredly, he sent out a patronus with a message for Ron and then started to slide down to the floor. Thor caught him and lowered him down slowly.

"Doesn't make any sense," he mumbled even as he let Thor pull him closer. "You'll stay, right?"

"I will not leave," he heard Thor say just before he sagged against the bigger man.


	6. Chapter 6

Ron eyed the big man with some wariness. Harry was sound asleep on his couch, after getting fixed up. It hadn't taken long. He'd lost some blood but the cutting curse hadn't hit anything vital. Still, Ron would have thought Harry was dying from the way that Thor was acting.

The man had been standing guard over Harry like a sentinel since Ron had shown up at Harry's house with half the auror squad. The whole mess was confusing, to say the least. As much as Ron had always loathed Malfoy, he never would have guessed something like this would happen.

Not that he didn't think Malfoy capable. It was just…the war had been over for years. Maybe they were just getting too complacent. Maybe Malfoy had been planning something for years. Or maybe he'd been under someone elses control…

Ron wasn't sure but what he was sure of was that it would probably take more than just him to separate Thor from Harry.

Xxxxxx

Fear. It was not an emotion Thor was familiar with. Why should it be? His family was all very powerful. He had never needed to fear for their lives, or his own. This fear, it was still not for himself, however.

Initially, he had not even felt it during the attack. No, it was after the two men had been unconscious when he first felt it. It had been when he saw the red soaking into Harry Potter's clothing that he'd felt it and he was hit, with startling clarity, just how mortal Harry was.

Harry had sagged against him and he had taken the smaller man's weight and he had been afraid for the first time in his life. Truly afraid. It was still there as well, subdued only slightly by the fact that Harry was no longer bleeding. He supposed it may not go away until Harry was conscious and talking.

The emotion itself was startling and he had time, after the others had shown up, to think on it. He did find Harry Potter fascinating, interesting…but it was in those moments, when the fear was the strongest that he thought, just maybe, that even if his father had shown up right then and there to welcome him back and give his power back, he would have stayed instead.

Xxxxxx

"How did this happen?" Harry glared across at Ron, even if he wasn't actually angry with his friend. He was just angry in general. He'd woken up not fifteen minutes ago on Ron's couch and ignored Ron, Hermione, and Thor's attempts to get him to do anything other than find out what had happened at his house.

Ron sighed. "We're not sure yet. Looks like someone was controlling them."

"Doesn't explain how they prevented me from apparating while doing it themselves. Or how they broke down my wards without me even noticing…"

"I know. It also looks like this wasn't an imperious curse."

Harry stilled completely at that. "What?"

Ron shrugged. "That's what they're saying. That it's something else, something they haven't seen before."

Harry chewed his lip and fell silent. This probably meant he had some new type of enemy, which was great. He'd been attacked several times after the war by disgruntled former Death Eaters but those attacks had tapered off after a while.

"What?" He asked suddenly, turning his head towards Thor. He'd been sitting next to Harry quietly during the conversation but his sharp gaze had never left Harry either.

"Are you certain you are alright?" Thor asked, studying him like he expected Harry to keel over at any second.

"I'm fine," Harry stated with a frown.

"Well," Ron spoke up, his gaze darting between them. "I think I'll go make some tea…or something."

He left the room quickly and Harry's frown deepened. "Are_ you_ alright?" He asked Thor because the man was still looking at him like he couldn't believe Harry was awake. Thor did not answer verbally. Instead he leaned in, trapped Harry's head in his hands and pressed their lips together.

Harry couldn't help but to lean into it as well and when he opened his eyes when Thor finally pulled back, the man was staring at him so intensely that Harry couldn't help but to blush.

"What happened while I was sleeping?" He asked a little breathlessly.

"I must admit, I have not felt such intense emotions in all of my years." Thor paused and he almost smiled. "Aside from anger, of course."

"Of course." Harry reached up to thread his fingers through Thor's blond hair. "So, you were afraid then?"

"Yes, I admit I was."

"And now?"

"Now…it is still there but there are others fighting for dominance."

Harry grinned a bit at that wording. "Yeah, I get what you mean." He pulled Thor back in for another short kiss.

Xxxxxxxx

"So, what do you think?" Harry spread an arm out around the place. It wasn't nearly as large as his house and it was situated in-between several muggle establishments but Harry had convinced Ron and the aurors that it would be a good safe house, at least for the moment.

They'd put enough wards around the place to rival the ones at Grimmauld Place and Harry had flat out refused to stay at Ron and Hermione's. They still had no idea what had happened with Malfoy, who or what had been controlling him.

"It is…very nice," Thor answered.

"Yeah, you know…I told you before, you don't have to stay with me. More dangerous for you around me."

"And I have told you, I will go where you go," Thor retorted in a final way.

Harry huffed. "Fine. But I did warn you."

"Yes, you have. Many times." Thor sounded amused at this. "No entertainment room?"

"No," Harry said with a little bit of a pout as he sat down in one of the chairs they'd managed to get into the place. "I'm really hoping this is a short stay."

"As am I." Thor's expression darkened and Harry shook his head. Thor had refused to leave his side since Harry had woken up after the attack and Harry thought the man had entertained his own thoughts of what he might do to whoever it had been that had sent the wizards to his house to attack them.

"We should get settled in then?" Harry asked, allowing a real smile. He stood and walked over to Thor, making sure to get into his personal space.

"Yes, I suppose we should."

Xxxxxxx

"I have found it!"

The call came on the second day they were living in the small place. Harry, who had been dozing in one of the chairs nearly fell out of it at Thor's loud voice and he rubbed a hand over his face, disoriented.

"Found what? Food?" Because he was pretty sure Thor had offered to go to the small muggle establishment nearby to buy something for dinner. In fact, Thor had insisted on it.

"Mjolnir. I have found it." Thor's eyes were shining as he said it and he was smiling widely. Harry straightened.

"You found it? How?"

"Several men were speaking of something that landed not far from here. They called it a satellite."

"But you think it was…" Harry stood and tried to get a handle on what Thor was saying.

"I am sure of it. They spoke of how it appeared and of how no man, no matter how they tried, could lift it."

"Huh." Harry tried processing that, chewing his lip but the excitement on Thor's face hadn't left. He had a moment to think that getting this back would mean getting his power back, which would probably mean Thor leaving but…

"Alright. Let's go get it then, shall we?" He ignored the feeling of dread that invaded his chest even as he said it.


	7. Chapter 7

Lines in italics are the ones I took directly from the movie.

Xxxxxxx

Harry might have laughed when he heard. Apparently the appearance of Thor's Mjolnir had been the talk lately. It had even made the news with people comparing it to the story of Arthur and the sword in the stone. He might have laughed because they would have heard about its appearance a lot sooner if Harry hadn't been magical and kept up with the muggle world.

He might have laughed if it hadn't been for what they'd found when they'd gone to the location the people in the diner had given Thor. As it was, Harry had taken one look at the way the area had been blocked off by what looked like the military and tried to pull Thor away immediately. Thor, of course, fought against that decision.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked, frustration in his voice. "You're not just going to walk in there."

"I am," Thor argued, straightening to his full height and smiling like he didn't see the problem with that plan. "Mjolnir is there. I must."

"You won't get anywhere near it if you just bust in there. You'll just get yourself arrested."

"Do you have another suggestion?"

Harry tilted his head as he thought about it. "Of course I do."

Xxxxxxx

"So?" Harry held up the invisibility cloak with a bright smile and Thor simply stared.

"What is this?"

"It's…something we can use." He studied Thor speculatively for a moment. "Well, I don't know about you. You're kind of huge but it'll work for me. I can cast a few spells on you that will keep them from seeing you unless you're screaming in their faces."

"How can we use a simple cloak?"

Harry's grin widened and then he threw it around himself momentarily. "That is very impressive," he said reaching out to catch the material between his fingers after Harry had taken it off again.

"I know. Hey, I got it when I was eleven. I lived without magic when I was a child so all this was pretty astounding. I'm also working it out. I can't risk exposing magic but I think it'll be alright if we're careful."

"Alright."

Harry nodded, chewed his lip a moment. "So…what'll happen after?"

"After?"

"I mean, you said you'd get your power back if you got it back, right? Does that mean you'll leave? Go…home?"

"I suppose I will be able to," Thor said with a slight frown. "I will need to settle matters with my father."

"Right." Harry looked away and then started around him, going to get his wand from the table. Thor stopped him, however, with a hand on his arm and turned him back.

"If I leave..." He traced his fingertips across Harry's cheek bone. "…I will return."

Harry's smile returned and he pulled the big man down into a short, fierce kiss.

Xxxxxxxx

It wasn't hard breaking in. Easy enough that Harry wondered if Thor's original plan of barreling his way inside would have worked. In any event, it wasn't long after they'd set the plan in motion that he was watching a nearly invisible Thor walk towards a hammer.

Nobody would see him unless they specifically knew where he was and Harry braced himself as he watched Thor reach for the hammer. His insides clenched even. He'd heard what Thor had said earlier, but it wasn't as if they'd known each other for years or something. Why would he come back? He didn't have to worry, however.

Nothing happened.

Thor grasped the hammer, and nothing happened. It didn't budge from its spot. Not when he first tried to lift it and not when he wrapped both his hands around the handle. It took Harry a moment to realize how much worse this was.

The scream that escaped Thor when he was unable to lift it, a mix of rage and despair….the expression on his face. Harry was frozen for several seconds under his cloak, his own stomach turning before he surged forward, grabbed Thor's arm and apparated them both back to the safe house.

Xxxxxxx

"Are you alright?" Harry stood in front of Thor, unsure of what to do. He'd sat down in the chair facing left wall of the house and hadn't moved since. Harry was unsure of how to comfort him, of what he could say.

"Thor?" Harry reached for him, put his hands on the side of Thor's neck and the man finally looked up at him, and then straight past him.

"Loki."

Harry dropped his hands and spun, and then his mouth dropped open in surprise at the sight before him. There was a man, tall with dark hair and wearing strange clothes. He'd appeared out of nowhere.

"How'd you…?" Harry trailed off, blinking and when Thor grabbed a hold of his arm and moved him so that he was standing beside the chair the big man was still sitting in, Harry stumbled along with it, still in shock.

"_I had to see you_," the dark hair man stated, completely ignoring Harry's reaction to the sight of him. But Harry's mind was racing. Nobody should have been able to enter the house without his express permission.

The wards were strong. Strong enough that they should have been able to keep anyone out. Well, no ward was unbreakable but Harry was sure that it would take quite some time to break down these ones.

"_What's happened? Tell me, is it the Jotunheim_?" Thor, on the other hand, seemed not so surprised that his brother had appeared the way he had. "If I could explain to Father-"

"_Father is dead_," the statement was blunt and it stopped Thor cold. Harry blinked himself and stopped trying to figure out how Loki had gotten in. Instead, he reached for Thor, his gut churning.

"_What_?" The one word that escaped Thor's mouth was choked stunned and Harry squeezed his shoulder.

"_Your banishment, the threat of a new war. It was too much for him to bear. You must not blame yourself. I know that you loved him. It tried to tell him so but he wouldn't listen. It was so cruel to put the hammer within your reach knowing that you could never lift it. The burden of the throne has fallen to me now_."

"_Can I come home_?"

Harry's grip on Thor tightened at that question and his chest ached. He didn't say anything, however. He wouldn't.

"_The truce with the Jotunheim is conditional upon your exile." _

_"Couldn't we find a way-" _

_"Mother has forbidden your return. This is good-bye, brother. I am so sorry_."

The man really did look sorry and Harry suddenly felt like he was intruding something that he shouldn't be seeing but Thor had reached for him at these words and he was unwilling to leave at the moment, not at the look on the big man's face, not at the tears.

"_No. I am sorry. Thank you for coming here_."

Finally, Loki turned his dark eyes on Harry. "You will take care of him?"

Harry nodded a little numbly. "Of course."

Loki was gone just as fast as he'd appeared. Harry immediate stepped back in front of Thor afterwards. Several tears had escaped and there was an anguished look on his face. Harry had a moment of indecision before he stepped forward and then settled himself in Thor's lap, wrapping his arms tightly around the man's neck.

Thor was still for several moments then he wrapped his arms tightly around Harry as well, burying his face in Harry's shoulder. They sat like that for a long while. Neither of them spoke.

Xxxxxxxx

Harry woke on half on top of Thor. His head was resting on the man's chest. For a moment, Harry lay still, smiling a bit. He definitely liked the feeling of waking up like that. Then he remembered the day before and a frown formed on his face.

Thor had been mostly silent after the visit from his brother and Harry had been very worried. He didn't really know what to think about Loki as the visit had been short and the man had barely spoken to him but he knew that what Thor thought of him. And the fact that, according to Loki, Thor was stuck on Earth…

Okay, so Harry had been a little bit scared when Loki had first shown up, scared that he'd come to take Thor back with him. And he'd felt horribly guilty when he felt that tiny shot of relief that that hadn't been the case, especially when Loki had told Thor that their father was dead.

Harry was pulled out of his thoughts when Thor shifted and stirred. Harry lifted his head. "Hey," he said when the man opened his eyes.

Thor placed his hands on either side of Harry's face and brought him close for a kiss. "I wish to thank you."

"Why?" Harry asked with a frown.

"You have made my time here seem very easy." There was still some of that sadness in his eyes from the night before but he still brought Harry back down for a deeper kiss, one that lasted longer.

Harry shifted so that he was completely on top of the man, his legs straddling Thor's hips and. After a minute, Thor turned them so that he was hovering over Harry.

"It would seem that I am stuck here indefinitely," he said softly.

"I know. I'm sorry." Harry chewed his lip, something twisting in his chest. As much as he wanted to keep Thor, as much as he loved having the man there with him, he hadn't wanted at the cost Thor had paid.

"I would like to stay with you for the time I am here. Would that be acceptable?"

Harry grinned. "More than." Then he wrapped his arms around Thor's neck and brought him down for another kiss. It lasted longer than the last one and Thor pressed his body as close as he could. Harry's hands found their way under the man's shirt and he trailed his finger tips over the muscles of Thor's abdomen.

When Thor gripped his waist in one hand, his thumb brushing over the skin there where Harry's shirt had ridden up, he had a momentary thought that they were about to take things a lot further than they had before.

Then someone knocked on his door, loudly.

Thor pulled back immediately and Harry groaned, sitting up and looking down at himself. Thor stood, holding out a hand for him to take. Whoever it was at the door was persistent, still knocking and Harry grumbled as Thor pulled him to his feet.

"We will have time later," Thor said, seemingly amused at the expression on Harry's face. Still, Harry couldn't help but to jerk the door open with a little more force than necessary.

"Ron…"

"Hey, Harry." Ron's gaze drifted briefly to Thor, standing behind Harry but a head taller. Ron nodded to him as well.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, even as he let his friend inside.

"I'm here because of Malfoy, actually." Ron grimaced.

"Malfoy? You guys find out what was supposedly controlling him?"

"Not exactly." He gave Harry an apologetic look. "He wants to talk to you. In fact, he's refusing to talk to anyone but you at this point."

"What? Why?"

Ron shrugged. "But I got sent over here for this. They want you to talk to him."

Harry sighed, crossed his arms. "…alright."

"Harry…" One large hand landed on his shoulder and he glanced up at Thor's worried expression.

"It'll be fine," Harry stated. "He's being held at the ministry, surrounded by aurors. Sides, if I can get out of him who was behind this maybe we can go back home soon."

Xxxxxxxx

Harry hesitated briefly outside of the room they were keeping Malfoy in. He'd convinced Thor to let him come alone; convinced him that going to the ministry would only cause them both all sorts of problems.

Malfoy was sitting at the far end of the table in the room when he entered. "Malfoy," Harry greeted, taking the other seat.

"Potter." Malfoy's lips twitched, almost into that old familiar smirk.

"Never thought I'd be your one phone call."

"What?"

Harry only rolled his eyes. "What do you want?"

"It wasn't me," Malfoy finally blurted out. "Well, it was but it wasn't."

"I already heard that part. You know who it was?"

"Not exactly. But I do know it wasn't a wizard."

Harry blinked, frowned. "What?"

"Look, Potter, I don't know who you've been hanging out with lately but this guy didn't send me to kill you. This wasn't even really about you. I remember that much." He paused and pulled a piece of folded parchment out of the pocket of his robes. "I do remember what he looked like now."

Harry unfolded it. It was a drawing. A drawing of a man. A man he recognized from the one time he'd seen him. Harry stood slowly, dread forming in his chest.

"You know who that is don't you?"

Harry didn't answer the question. Instead he bolted from the room, sprinting towards the apparition point, cursing the whole way.


End file.
